Vaccines reduce Covid-19 transmission by 40 per cent: WHO
Covid-19 vaccines reduce transmission of the dominant Delta variant by about 40 per cent, the WHO said Wednesday (Nov 24), warning that people were falling into a false sense of security.
The World Health Organisation's chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus urged vaccinated people to continue to take measures to avoid catching Covid-19 and passing on the disease.
He noted that last week, more than 60 per cent of all reported cases and deaths from Covid-19 were once again in Europe.
At least 27 migrants perish trying to cross Channel to UK, French mayor says
At least 31 people died on Wednesday (Nov 24) after their dinghy capsized while crossing the Channel from France to Britain, in the worst disaster on record involving migrants in the waters separating the countries.
The Channel is one of the world's busiest shipping lanes and currents are strong. Overloaded dinghies often barely stay afloat and are at the mercy of waves as they try to reach British shores.
More migrants left France's northern shores than usual to take advantage of calm sea conditions on Wednesday, according to fishermen, although the water was bitterly cold.
Sweden's Prime Minister-elect resigns hours after appointed
Sweden's Prime Minister-elect Magdalena Andersson on Wednesday (Nov 24) tendered her resignation just hours after her appointment by parliament, after her budget failed to pass and the junior Greens Party left the coalition government.
"There is a constitutional practice that a coalition government should resign when one party quits," Andersson, a Social Democrat, told reporters.
"I don't want to lead a government whose legitimacy will be questioned." Andersson said she hoped to be elected to the position again soon as the head of a minority government made up of only the Social Democrats.
Russia says Sputnik gives longer protection than Western coronavirus jabs
The backers of Sputnik V on Wednesday (Nov 24) said the Russian vaccine provides longer immunity against coronavirus than Western jabs using messenger RNA (mRNA) technology.
The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), which supported the vaccine's development, said the Sputnik vaccine is 80 per cent effective against coronavirus between six and eight months after the second dose.
The country has recorded more than 9.4 million coronavirus cases, the fifth-highest number in the world, and more than 267,000 virus-related deaths, according to government figures.
Football: Dzeko double downs Shakhtar to send Inter to brink of Last-16
Edin Dzeko scored twice in the space of six second-half minutes to earn Inter Milan a 2-0 win over Shakhtar Donetsk at San Siro on Wednesday (Nov 24) and send the Italians to the brink of their first Champions League knockout stage appearance in a decade.
The Bosnian swept home a finish after 61 minutes to give Inter a deserved lead after they had been left frustrated by two disallowed goals and a string of missed opportunities.
Dzeko did not need long to double his tally, heading in an inviting Ivan Perisic cross to mark his 50th goal in European club competitions.
